Electrical control device



Aug. 17, 1937. E. SIPPEL 2,090,522

ELECTRICAL CONTROL DEVI CE Filed March 7, 1935 o 2 11 4 /8a\ 20 q Z2 Z5 75 /4 l 28 2/ EWr T 27 Inventor:

Eugem Sippel,

Hrs ttorneg Patented Aug. 17, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICAL CONTROL DEVICE Eugen Sippel, Berlin, Germany, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York 7 Claims.

My invention relates to electrical control devices and has for an object the provision of a simple, inexpensive and reliable device of this character which carries out its controlling function independently of the source of electrical power.

In accordance with my invention a solenoid when energized stores up energy in its plunger, anarmature being held in a given position by a coil connected in series with the solenoid. As soon as the solenoid is deenergized, the stored energy is expended as work in moving the armature from the given position to a second position. Consequently, the armature is not carried along by the plunger and there is no possibility of a partial or premature operation of the control device.

For a more complete understanding of my invention, reference should now be had to the accompanying drawing wherein I have shown diagrammatically my invention applied to a control device.

Referring to the drawing, I have shown my invention in one form as applied to a control device It provided with an operating shaft ll arranged to rotate a switch member l2 in a clockwise direction from its position in contact with a stationary contact l3 into engagement with a stationary contact I4.

Normally the switch member is biased to one or the other of its positions by means of a plunger l5 of a solenoid IS, the plunger being slidably mounted within a solenoid operating coil N. If desired, the biasing force due to the weight of the plunger can be supplemented by a spring located between the plunger and the upper end of the magnetic, frame of the solenoid. This biasing force is applied to an armature or operating element l8 formed of magnetic material by means of a member l9 pivoted to the lower end of the plunger l5. Since the armature I8 is secured to the shaft H which extends through the center pole 28 of an E-shaped magnet or magnet frame 2|, formed of magnetizable material, the switch member |2 is biased by the plunger |5 to the position shown in the drawing and in engagement with the contact Hi. The armature l8 when in contact with an outer pole 22 of the magnet completes a closed magnetic circuit through the lefthand portion of the magnet; A wide air gap exists between the armature l8 and the opposite outer pole 23, however, due to the angular relation of the surfaces |8a and |8b of the armature located on opposite sides of the shaft II. The

side oi the armature l8 opposite the magnet 2| is provided with a pair of recesses 24 and 25, the two adjacent walls of which form cam surfaces which terminate at the crest 26.

In order to operate the switch member l2 into engagement with the contact l4 a push button 21 is depressed to complete an energizing circuit for a coil 28 surrounding the center pole 20 of the magnet 2| and the coil I1, the two coils being connected in series circuit relation with each other. The solenoid coil |1 immediately lifts its 10 plunger l5 and the operating member l9 to a position such that the member l9 due to the force of gravity swings from the recess 24 across the crest 26 to a position above the recess 25. As the member I9 moves upwardly, it will be seen that 15 v the free end thereof moves along the right-hand side of the recess 24, and accordingly, the counterclockwise biasing force exerted on the armature i8 decreases, a clockwise force, in fact, being exerted by the end of the member l9 as it approaches the crest 26. At the same time, however, the coil 28 produces a strong magnetic flux through the left-hand portion of the magnet 2| and thereby securely locks the armature against movement. This additional bias or locking ac- 25 tion exerted by the coil 28 prevents improper operation of the armature Hi and at the same time maintains good contact pressure between the contacts l2 and I3. As soon, however, as the push button switch 21 is released to open the 30 energizing circuit both coils are deenergized. The plunger l5 thereupon drops from its elevated position and operates the member l9 against the recess 25. Since deenergization of the coil 28 releases the armature for movement, the energy stored in the plunger and the member |9 is then given up as work in operating the switch member l2 into engagement with the stationary contact M. The plunger l5 and member l9 then serve to bias the armature I8 and the switch member I2 40 in their new positions.

In order to return the switch member l2 to its first position the push button switch 21 is again operated to energize the coils l1 and 28, the 0011 I1 again operating the plunger l5 against the 45 force of gravity to its elevated position. The coil 28 in this case, however, produces a strong magnetic flux through the right half of the magnet 2| or through the closed magnetic circuit provided by the armature l8 and the poles 20 and 23 50 of the magnet. Only a relatively small flux acts on the armature from the outer face of the pole 22 due to the large air gap between them.

As soon as the switch 21 is released to deenergize the coils, the member I! is driven into the 55 recess 24 to return the armature I 8, the shaft, and the switch member l2 to' their original positions. The described operations can be repeated at any time by successive operations of the push button or the control means 22. During each operation the crest 26 of the armature is rotated from one side to the other of the longitudinal axis of the solenoid. The member I9 therefore automatically swings from one recess to the other, to reverse the direction of rotation of the shaft l l.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and I, therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A control device comprising an operating element movable from a first position to a second position, a member biased to a position to engage and move said element from one to the other of said positions, an operating coil energizable to move said member against its bias to store energy for operation of said element, means for biasing said element to one of said positions when said coil is energized to store energy, and a member jointly controlling said operating coiland said biasing means operable to a predetermined position to simultaneously eifect the deenergization of said operating coil and the release of said element for movement by said member.

2. A control device comprising an armature movable from a first position to a second position, electro-responsive means for storing energy preparatory to movement of said armature, electromagnetic holding means energizable simultaneously with said electro-responsive means for holding said armature in said first position during the storing of said energy, and means for engaging said armature after deenergization of said electro-responsive means for operating said armature from said first to said second position, said holding means releasing said armature upon deenergization of said electro-responsive means.

3. A control device comprising a magnetizable frame, an armature forming in conjunction with said frame a normally open and a normally closed air gap, means mounting said armature for movement from one position to a second position to open and close alternately said air gaps, an operating coil associated with said frame for holding said armature in saidone position, operating means normally engaging said armature to hold it in one or the other of its positions, control means for simultaneously energizing said coil and for causing said operating means to disengage itself from said armature, and means operable by said operating means when'said coil is deenergized for moving said armature from said one position to said second position.

4. A control device comprising a switch mem- -ber, an armature fOI' moving Said switch member from one position to a second position, means for biasing said armature to one of its positions, circuit controlling means, operating means controlled by said circuit controlling means for ,operating said biasing means to remove the bias from said armature and to store energy in said biasing means, means controlled by said circuit controlling means simultaneously with said op 5. A control device comprising a magnet having a magnetizable frame provided with a center pole and oppositely disposed outer poles, an armature pivoted to said center pole and normally forming in conjunction with one or the other of said outer poles a normally closed magnetic circuit, a solenoid provided with a plunger, rigid means connected to said plunger for engaging said armature to bias it to one or the other of its positions, an operating coil for said magnet for holding said armature in a closed magnetic circuit position, means -forsimultaneously energizing said coil and said solenoid whereby energy is stored in said plunger as it is operated to its retracted position and said armature is magnetically held in said one position, said rigid means operating automatically to reverse the bias applied thereby to said armature when said solenoid and said magnet are deenergized, said deenergization of said magnet releasing said armature for operation by said plunger to said other position.

6. A control device. comprising a magnet having a magnetizable frame, an armature forming in conjunction with said frame a normally open and a normally closed magnetic circuit, means pivotally mounting said armature for movement from one position to a second position to open and close alternately said magnetic circuits, en-

ergy storing means including a movable member normally engaging said armature on one side of said pivot means for biasing said armature in one position, an operating coil for operating said member out of engagement with said armature, said member automatically shifting its position with respect to said armature preparatory to engagement with said armature on the,

other side of said pivot means, an operating coil for said magnet for holding said armature in a closed magnetic circuit position, and means for simultaneously energizing and then deenergizing said coils whereby energy is stored in said energy magnetic circuit, means pivotally mounting said armature for movement from one position to a second position to open and, close alternately said magnetic circuits, an operating coil associated with said frame for holding said armature in a closed magnetic circuit position, operating means normally engaging said armature on one side of its pivot to hold it in one of its positions and automatically operable to engage said armature on the opposite side of its pivot to operate it to said second position, control means for simultaneously energizing said coil and for causing said operating means to disengage itself from said armature, and energy storing means rendered effective by saidoperating means after said coil is deenergized for operating said armature from said one position to said second position. 1

EUGEN SIPPEL. 

